Before I begin my column this week, on the emotive subject of euthanasia, I would like to thank all those who have sent me good wishes following my recent stroke.

Before I begin my column this week, on the emotive subject of euthanasia, I would like to thank all those who have sent me good wishes following my recent stroke. These good wishes were accompanied by two huge bouquets, (from the Evening Chronicle and Val, Rosie and Jeff); and three bears, from Siobhan and my colleagues at Disability North. Again, thank you all.

I have long considered both sides of the euthanasia debate, listening to those who favour and those who reject the idea of helping someone to die, when they have expressed a prior wish to have this help. While I respect the views of both sides, over the years, I have come to believe legalising euthanasia in the UK is not something I could support.

Don't get me wrong, I have seen the recent high profile cases in the media where people with terminal illness have asked their loved ones to help them end their lives. I can even accept that this help was given in a spirit of true love and compassion. Indeed, I don't believe that the family member involved should be prosecuted adding to the pain of the loss that they have already suffered. What does worry me, however, is the opening of the floodgates were the practice to be sanctioned by the state as it has in some countries.

When I was in hospital recently, I shared a ward with one man who was 103-years-old and was recovering from a long illness. He was about to be discharged back to the care of his loving family. Another man, 97-years-old, was about to be fitted with a pacemaker and again be sent home to lead his "normal" life. In conversation, both of these men expressed concern about becoming a burden to their families. Neither of their families saw this as an issue. But think of what might happen if this was not the case and the families did see the task of a returning elderly relative as a real problem. What if the carer was not a loving wife, son or daughter, but a busy uncaring nephew or niece, or someone similar, who thought that the old person was indeed a burden and encouraged them to take the "easy way out"?

Of greater concern to me, in my role of an advocate of disability equality, is the temptation to take this easy way out in the case of a severely disabled person, young or old. As in the examples I gave above, it raises questions about quality of life and the right of an outsider to make decisions for, or put pressure on, the elderly or disabled person. When that pressure might involve encouraging them to relieve the burden on their family, then it is going too far. At the moment the law in this country forbids euthanasia. There remains the grey zone between killing and allowing to die. However, if there is a change in the law, I believe the boundary will shift towards the former and more people will be condemned as "better off dead".